1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bath tub and, more particularly, to a portable bathing unit for use in hospitals and/or with bedridden patients.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Existing provisions for bathing a bedridden patient are limited. The patient must either be hoisted from his or her bed and transported to a location where a bath tub preexists or be given sponge bath while remaining in their bed. Difficulty arises in transporting the patient to and from the bath tub in that a risk of injury to the patient is increased proportionally with the distance in which a patient must be transported to the bath tub. With respect to sponge baths, sponge baths are not as thorough as bathing in a bath tub. A need prevails for a portable bathing unit which may be located in the proximity of a patient.
Portable bathing units have been the subject of patent protection in the prior art of record. In particular, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,074,370, issued Feb. 21, 1978 to George W. Harmony, III, and No. 4,207,629, issued Jun. 17, 1980 to Hideo Kagawa, both disclose a portable bathing unit for use in bathing bedridden patients. The patent issued to Harmony describes a tub portion and a plurality of legs depending therefrom. A lockable caster is included on the lower end of each leg. A pump is operatively connected to a drain conduit for pumping water from the tub portion. A filling hose is provided for introducing water into the tub portion. Harmony suggests that it is well known to provide a cover for the tub portion to maintain the water temperature at a desired level and to provide a filling conduit for filling the tub portion from a remote location. The patent issued to Kagawa teaches a bath tub fitted into a rectangular frame of a carriage from above. The bath tub is slanted by a crane disposed thereunder so that a portion thereof is lowered to the floor to allow ease in helping a patient into and out of the bath tub. Features such as a drain plug for draining the bath tub, a foot step which the patient crosses upon entering into the tub, and handle rods for locking certain of the carriage wheels are provided.
A portable bath for physiological heat treatment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,157,774, issued Nov. 17, 1964 to Jack E. Moore et al. The Moore et al. patent describes a cabinet supported on casters and having sides provided with handles for easy carrying. The top of the cabinet has a central opening to give access to a treatment liquid. The opening may be covered by a cover when the portable bath is not in use.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,838, issued Apr. 15, 1980 to Wilson T. Shill, a mobile bath tub supported by four wheels is disclosed. Water supplied by a pump is circulated into and out of the interior of the bath tub. A control adjusts the operation of the pump to produce a relaxing, pulsating effect.
Other patents deemed of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,611,341, issued Sep. 23, 1952 to Hugh P. Paris, and No. 3,955,221, issued May 11, 1976 to Eve B. Finch; and French Patents No. 1.005.387, granted Dec. 19, 1951 to M. Maurice Bouchet, and No. 1.282.387, granted Dec. 11, 1961 to Hugo Buscaglia.
A bathing unit which is comfortable for adult use and easily transportable from location to location, which may be filled and drained at virtually any location, and which provides sufficient floor clearance for the legs of a hoist to pass thereunder, resolves problems associated with existing bathing units. Further, if such a bathing unit were convertible into an article of furniture, the same would not only be useful for sitting or lying upon when not in use as a bath tub, but would be aesthetically appealing as well.
None of the above patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.